Thursday, December 29, 2011

Many of us already have our plans made for celebrating the New Year. Some of us are still deciding - and if you happen to be in this category, might we suggest visiting the ExperienceLA.com calendar for some ideas :)

Whatever your plans are, if you and your roommates are drawing straws to see who will be the sober this year, or if you simply haven't had time to think about finding a designated driver, fear not! Metro and AAA have provided some wonderful solutions for this coming weekend of merriment in Los Angeles.

But it was also a year of endings. We said good-bye to the Wilshire Grand Hotel and the Mulholland Dr. Bridge began its demolition and reconstruction project - which means we also survived round 1 of Carmageddon.

The Cirque du Soleil Truck will make various stops at shopping centers, business districts, and attractions all over Southern California now through January. Keep up with the truck's scheduled appearances and updates by visiting their Facebook pages (www.facebook.com/OVOCirque or www.facebook.com/IRISCirque) or on Twitter (use #CirqueTruck). Or, you can also follow XLA's Facebook and Twitter pages and we'll give you updates as we receive them.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

We all know the saying, "All good things come to an end." Alas, the time has come for us to say good-bye to our friends and wonderful partners at the Wilshire Grand Hotel. Tomorrow - December 23 - after 59 years, the hotel will bid farewell to its last guest before being demolished. Future plans for the lot include a two-tower hotel and condominium skyscraper, slated to open in 2015.

Right before heading into a matinee showing of Miracle on 34th Street at the Million Dollar Theatre, my friend Katie and I roamed nearby Grand Central Market. Whether you're rushing in for a quick bite, looking to do a little shopping, or just need a little down-time wandering through eclectic food stalls and neon lights, this is a Los Angeles experience worth adding to your list.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

We're happy to share that we've gotten our hands on 5 copies of "Sweet Madness," the debut album from one of today's rising young artists in folk/country/blues. And, they're signed! And we're giving them away!!

Saturday, December 03, 2011

For any Poco or Eagles fans, or fans of country music in general, check out these photos from our XLA Flickr pool taken by XLA-er Curt (after the jump). These are from Timothy B. Schmit's solo performance last Wednesday at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. Schmit, best known for his work as a bass guitar player and singer in the bands Poco and The Eagles, will continue to promote his solo project with a performance tonight at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills.

Friday, December 02, 2011

I always knew our beloved city was a breeding ground for fashion, art, and the engaging of the two, but the destinations for such events seem to have grown almost overnight. And.now that the official gift-giving season has arrived, it's the perfect time to check out the best of what LA's got to offer local-style. Here are a re-cap of the ones I've visited, plus a few more that I've got my eye on:

Thursday, December 01, 2011

I have holiday favorites, one is fairly stereotypical. My favorite holiday movie is Miracle on 34th Street (it's tied with White Christmas). There's just something about the movie's focus on believing that cheers me up every time. My next holiday favorite is not quite so typical - though there are times I wish it was, but perhaps it would then not feel so special.

A couple of weekends ago, I had the fortunate opportunity to attend "The Night Watcher" at the Kirk Douglas Theatre (thanks to Allied Live for the comp tickets). Neither my husband nor I had ever been to KDT, and I had been considering purchasing tickets to the show anyway, so of course I jumped at the chance when it was offered.

"The Night Watcher" is a one-woman show written and skillfully performed by Tony Award nominee Charlayne Woodard. In this play, Ms. Woodard fluidly moves in and out of characters as she tells the stories of her "children" - none of which are biological, but all confide in her and trust her as a second mother (or in some instances, as their only mother-figure).